Watchmen Episode #6 // Review
HBO’s Watchmen episode 6, “This Extraordinary Being,” answers one of the biggest unsolved mysteries of the lore, since the comics were originally published in 1986: who is Hooded Justice? Some will find the answer an overreaching reimagining of the character that doesn’t quite line up with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ vision for him. Others will say that showrunner Damon Lindelof’s answer makes more sense than anything that was ever hinted at in the pages of the original story. Either way, people will be talking, and HBO surely won’t mind the extra buzz around its critically acclaimed show.
The Hooded Justice’s identity doesn’t come out of nowhere in this episode. It is, instead, beautifully tied to the themes, story, and characters that Lindelof has introduced so far. Co-written by Cord Jefferson, this chapter does what this series has done amazingly, over and over again, since it’s first episode: use the source material to springboard into an ambitious story about racial trauma throughout history, and its effects on people in the present. Angela (Regina King), having taken pills containing the memories of her grandfather, suffers through his harrowing life story, and discovers the secret history of the Watchmen world along the way. Each new chapter brings more revelations, begetting one of the most riveting hours of television in years.
If there was a complaint to be had about the first couple episodes of this series, it was that it maybe wasn’t as closely tied to the original story as some expected it to be. Touted as a continuation, rather than a sequel to the original, nobody knew what to make of it at first, even if they were enjoying it. This episode, as well as the previous three, proves that that was all by design. The first episodes introduced the new characters and concepts and set up the central mystery of the show. Still, episodes 3 through 6 brought back the familiar ingredients the audience knows and loves. From Laurie Blake to the giant squid that destroyed New York City, this show has started to feel more and more like a direct sequel to Watchmen than anyone could have guessed it would be. And, at this pace, by the end of the season, even the naysayers might end up enjoying it more than they would care to admit.
“This Extraordinary Being” is primarily carried by Jovan Adepo and his performance as young Will Reeves. The raw emotion on display and the range shown by Adepo is award-worthy, to say the least. Without giving spoilers, there are a lot of layers to this incredibly complex character, and Adepo stuns in every scene. Not to be outshone, King does so much with so little in “Being,” it’s like watching a masterclass in acting. Her most compelling work is in her character’s quietest moments, and she makes it look effortless.
“Being,” like most chapters of this ongoing story, will be a divisive one. If you didn’t like the focus of the first two episodes, it’s not likely this one will win you over. Nevertheless, the writing and acting are undeniably superior to anything else airing right now. Hopefully, people will be able to look past what they expected, or wanted, this show to be, and see that it was made in the spirit of its source material, with an eye towards today’s world. In the end, if you’re not watching, you’re missing something truly special, and that would be a shame.
